MDOT repairing damaged joint that led to backup, crash on WB I-69

SHIAWASSEE COUNTY, MI – A damaged joint to a bridge along westbound Interstate 69 in Shiawassee County on Wednesday morning led to a crash and traffic backup.

MDOT spokesman Aaron Jenkins said around 8:30 a.m. Wednesday, May 15 one lane of traffic was closed for joint repair.

It’s the same area where a crash involving multiple vehicles took place Wednesday morning that led to the interstate being shut down at westbound I-69 and the Woodbury Road exit (Exit 98) as the incident was cleared.

“Our bridge crew went out and repaired the joint,” said Jenkins Wednesday afternoon. “We are waiting on the fast-curing concrete to cure before opening the lane. This should be shortly.”

He commented “The tales of a Texas sized pothole, by the Bath Township Police Department are extremely exaggerated.”

The police department known, in part, for its attempts at humor on Facebook posted “numerous vehicles” were on the shoulders of westbound I-69 near Peacock Road due to the alleged pothole.

The law enforcement agency also noted that the situation led to “large backups” on westbound I-69 and Lansing Road/Old M78 between Woodbury Road and Saginaw Highway.

Jenkins pointed to aging infrastructure as the main culprit behind the issue and said the situation stands “an excellent example of our aging infrastructure.”

“The roads in Michigan have been neglected for too long,” he said, echoing comments earlier from this year by MDOT Director Paul Ajegba on the state ranking 46 out of 50 states in the amount spent on highways per capita.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has proposed a 45-cent gas tax hike to raise funds for road repairs across the state, but the Michigan Senate’s proposed budget passed on Wednesday did not include the recommendation.

Whitmer has said she would not sign a budget that went separately from a road-funding solution.